Highest-Yielding CDs With Reasonable Minimum Deposits
The fed rate cut means yields on money market accounts and online savings accounts are more than likely going to fall, making it a good time to look to switch money to certificates of deposit, as long as you don't mind the illiquidity. Here are the best 3, 6 and 12-month CD rates right now with reasonable minimum deposit requirements.
3-month: Etrade, 5.10% APY, $1000 min.
6-month: Etrade, 5.25% APY, $1000 min.
12-month: Etrade, 5.15% APY, $100 min.
Yep, it's all Etrade. They really want to attract depositors back after the scare.
(Photo: Getty)
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I still get a better APY from my FNBO direct savings account.
Man! I gotta switch online banks!
I am starting to think I should have a savings account at every one of the top online high-yield savings banks & have all their accounts connected to one another so I can transfer all my funds to whichever bank is on top at the moment.
Countrywide's savings rate is 5.3%
@DallasDMD: The rates listed in the article changed since I made that post. The CD rates listed were 5%, 4.77% and 4.77%
i'm getting 5% on plain old savings acct at Emigrant Bank in NY. Excellent on-line support and security. Who needs a CD?
Me too...5% at Washington Mutual for savings-the account was opened online but I can access from any WaMu ATM, so it's not even an online account.
There must be some advantage to the CD's? Like you're locked in that rate whereas the Savings account can change on you? Maybe? No?
@youbastid: That's usually the benefit of CDs over Savings. If you get a CD you are gauranteed that rate. Savings may be 5% today but they could be 4% tomorrow.
CD's have a minimum duration your money must stay in there. If you withdraw early, there are penalties.
In a savings account, you can withdraw whenever you like. I've got a boadload in money markets right now (waiting out this subprime-credit-crunch-etc.) I need to look at a short-term CD.
The 12 month CD also has a minimum opening of $1000, NOT $100
Zopa.com has CD's for 5.1% with min. $500 for a 1 year duration. You can also help people who have loans in the process, so that's another benefit!
"They really want to attract depositors back after the scare."
What would happen to customers' CDs if they went bankrupt?
My CU has 5.4%APY in a free checking with no minimum balance acct.
As for CDs vs. Savings/Checking with interest, even if the APY is identical, you're guaranteed to get the compounded interest for the amount for the full term. If you took the same amount, but had to withdraw some and then deposit money to put you back to the starting amount at a later date, it would come out to less compounded interest at the end of the CD.
Would it be wise for me to cash in my EE savings bonds and purchase a CD instead?
2 credit unions in oregon that i know of are offering over 5% checking accounts. The only catch is you have to use your check card over 10 or 12 times per month, check your statement online and have either direct deposit or an automatic withdrawal each month, like a cell phone bill.
[www.fusionchecking.org]
6.25% up to 30,000
[www.oregoncommunitycu.org]
5.40% APY remarkable checking
Eloan's website claims a minimum deposit on that CD of $10k.